Internationally, Britain is in the premier league of effective governments, but is still outclassed by a collection of Scandinavian and Commonwealth countries, some of which deliver better outcomes for less money.

The Institute [for government] described as a "fundamental concern" the lack of information about quite what the apparatus of the state is achieving with the £662bn it is spending on our behalf this year.

It questioned whether the civil service has the skills necessary to come up with different ways of running the country. It also raised the lack of obvious sanctions for senior officials who fail to deliver: in Korea they lose pay, or even their jobs.

David Cameron could not have been more unequivocal in his support for British Jews when addressing the Conservative Friends of Israel in 2007.

"Government, individuals and all community leaders have shared responsibility to tackle prejudice which, if unchallenged, can lead to hatred and violence."

If the audience was reassured, little did it know that, within two years, the Tories would be members of a European group led by a politician widely seen on the continent as anti-semitic. Indeed, Cameron himself cannot have known, back in 2005, that his leadership campaign pledge to withdraw from the mainstream European People's party (EPP) – made to see off Liam Fox to his right – would come back to haunt him in this way.

It is unlikely that a TV debate would alter the course of the election. Even when presidential debates have had an impact it has usually been to give a visual metaphor – think of Richard Nixon's five o'clock shadow – to an impression already held.

But an open debate, on primetime television, is long overdue. Chesterton once said that "people generally quarrel because they cannot argue".

The quality of the political conversation in Britain is not good. A live debate will not solve that problem, but it will help.

Not even Gordon Brown's best friend could claim that his long-awaited announcement of Sir John Chilcot's inquiry into an eight-year (2001-09) sweep of the second Iraq war was handled with aplomb.

In its haste to forestall a Labour revolt, Downing Street was saddled with compromises that may cost it dear at the general election.

As a result of Brown's failure to properly consult key players in advance (David Cameron and Nick Clegg got frantic "Is this OK?" calls from cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell), the mild-mannered Sir John has gained far wider freedom of action than was originally intended.